Unescapable Ties
by Scarlett Redd
Summary: Breaking Dawn Spoilers... Jake/Nessie go on their first real date. How do her parents react? Can she and Jacob forget about all the outside pressure for one night? Not sure how many parts I'll be doing, probably between 5-7.
1. Chapter 1

"I don't know Bella... she's awfully young, I mean... she's physically what? Fifteen?"

"Seventeen Edward."

"That's young! Think about it. Jessica Stanley, Mike Newton. All seventeen right when you moved to Forks. So young. So naive."

"Edward? You're frozen at seventeen."

"But I'm actually one hundred and-"

"So? We're talking physical. Anyway, Nessie's mental cpacities are technically above ours. Now, realistically, we're probably the same. But...quantitatively..."

Bella and Edward were arguing in the living room, their hushed voices not carrying far enough that Nessie could hear. Their worries made me chuckle. I was sitting on the porch step, the sun was low and an opaque orange in the sky. Nessie had told me to wait until seven o'clock exactly to pick her up... Alice's orders.

"Bella, she's half human. She's..."

"Edward. Honestly. I was seventeen when I met you. I was seventeen when I knew I wanted to stay with you for eternity. And I was seventeen when I committed myself to you, no matter what happened, no matter how dangerous the road ahead might have been," Bella spoke passionately, and I could almost see the feirce look on her face. The same look Nessie could imitate thoughtlessly.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?!" He hissed. "Bella, she's so young. She doesn't know what she's doing."

"Edward, calm down, okay? It's Jacob. _Jacob_. Do you honestly think I'd be so cavalier about this is she was going out with some random guy? It's only Jake. Okay? I think we're lucky, all things considered, that she _doesn't want_ a random guy. Our teenage girl is as abnormal as I was," she teased. Edward didn't relax. I glanced at my watch. 6:46. I rolled my eyes, stood, and rang the doorbell. Edward was there in an instant.

"Jacob," was Edward's abrupt greeting, holding the door open for me. I walked in politely. I had gotten my hair cut properly that day just for this occasion, I wore a dark blue dress shirt and a lighter tie. My jeans were dark and had no tace of a rip, a rare occurence around me.

Bella was behind him in an instant, her beautiful face wary and tentative.

"Jake!" She smiled, almost looking as if she were trying too hard. She came over and gave me a quick hug. I crinkled my nose at the foul scent, but I had become mostly desensensitized by this point.

"Bella, love? Could you...leave us for a moment?" Edward asked, staring me down.

"Um. Sure," Bella said quietly. "Be nice," She breathed in his ear, obviously hoping I wouldn't hear. "I'll go check on the girls." She said to me, and left the room in a flash. I heard her greet Alice and Nessie, but then turned my attention to the vampire standing in front of me.

He pressed his fingers on the bridge of his nose, and I knew him well enough that this was his way of calming himself.

"Jacob?" He asked, his voice low.

"Edward." I said in response.

"She means more to me than my own life. I need to know she'll be safe with you."

"You're forgetting I love her too. Maybe more than you do." I answered.

He looked at me eyes fierce, that even I couldn't dispute his raging protective instinct for his daughter. But I couldn't help to smile faintly, remembering...

Edward growled. "What?" I asked, innocently, "does this conversation not feel familir to you too?"

He sighed heavily. "I'm trying to remember a time when you weren't trying to steal one of my girls away from me," he said, but there was a teasing edge to his tone now.

"Have her home by twelve?" I asked.

"Try ten."

I sighed. "I'll take what I can get."

He looked at me full-on now. "Jake. I'm very serious at the moment. Renesmee is special. She means the world to both Bella and myself. And I feel, as her father, I should tell you: If you hurt her, I will hunt you down." He said, the threat darkening his voice. I had no doubt he meant it, and I shrank a little at the voice. I recovered quickly.

"Edward. You can see into my mind. If I had any intention of..." I swallowed, "hurting...her. You would be the first to know. I promise you. She will be back by ten o'clock on the dime."

He sighed once more. "Fine," he sighed, resigned. The girls were upstairs, and I could hear Nessie's melodic voice. I felt myself compelled to run up the stairs, to hold her in my arms, finally safe. So temping. How easy would it be... It's a good thing she didn't inherit her mother's grace, or else temptation might become a nessesity.

Edward sat gracefully on the couch, and nodded towards the door. It wasn't like him. He usually spung to his feet the moment Bella walked through a door... a subconscious politeness. It almost looked as if he needed to sit, in order to take in what was coming.

Bella opened the door and waltzed in gracefully first. The look in her eyes was cautious as she glanced at Edward and I. Then she looked at Edward with reserve. Almost as if to warn him, to keep him calm. I looked at them curiously, but couldn't keep my focus. The strings were pulling me, tighter and tighter, straining more and more, wanting to run towards Nessie. She walked through the door then, with a different and imperfect grace than Bella's. Definitely preferable.

Her long bronze hair cascaded down her back in big ringlets, held away from her perfect face by a headband. Her hair poured down her shoulders perfectly, hitting just above her hips. Her eyes were accentuated perfectly, their brown colour deepened by her makeup. Her lips were a cherry-red, alluring. He wore a black dress, simple, the top lower-cut than Nessie normally would wear. He skirt flared out a little, cutting off just above her knees. She wor matching black heels, two inches I guessed. Deathtraps. Looking at her now, it was undeniable she was Bella's daughter. Although Edward's perfection adorned her small frame, she had the same form as her mother, the same shy expression. Her modest expression searched for approval, and I grinned at her. She smiled back, her perfect teeth fitting her face perfectly. She rushed to me now, throwing her arms around my shoulders. I hugged her for a moment, and then let her go reluctantly. No need to make this harder for Edward than it had to be. I glanced at him again, Bella was sitting with him now, squeezing his hand. He looked only at Renesmee now, a deep sadness in his eyes. I somehow knew that his eyes would be flooding now if he was capable. Bella watched her daughter aswell, a deep adoration in her eyes.

"Well, erm, I guess we'd better get going then... if we're to be back by ten," I said awkwardly.

"Ten?" Bella smirked, and glanced at Edward. He looked at her calmly.

"I thought it would be best if we took this slower. I mean she's only-"

"Okay!" She interupted him, and walked towards us. Edward in tow. He walked to Renesmee, and kissed her cheek.

"Have fun sweetheart," he said earnestly. "You have your phone?" He asked suddenly. Renesmee nodded quickly, and smiled up at her father.

Bella smiled, watching the two of them, and then took her turn kissing Nessie's cheek. "You have a good time. Behave," she teased, "and no horror movies. I don't want my daughter's innocence corrupted, right Jake?" She smirked. I laughed aloud at the memory of that disastrous movie night. Renesmee rolled her eyes, used to our inside jokes.

Bella then walked over to me, pulling her arms around my shoulders again, slowly. She stood on her tip toes, and whispered low in my ear, "Eleven thirty."

"If she can stay up that long," I agreed. It was no secret that Renesmee wasn't exaclty a party animal.

"Make sure she doesn't fall over or anything. Oh, and no breaking her hand Jake, I mean it." This provoked another growl from Edward, Bella and I giggled.

"Oh enough humour at my expense guys! Can we just go Jacob? Please?" Renesmee said desperatly. Edward's gaze flickered to Bella, and the two of them began laughing hysterically. Renesmee glared at them, confused, and then turned and stalked out the door. This sent the two into a whole other round of hysterics.

I looked at the both of them for a moment, and then shook my head. "Bye," I said, and ran out to catch Nessie. I walked into the night, knowing she was waiting in the volvo for me. It was the most inconspicuous car the Cullens had for us to use.

Edward and Bella's laughter faded a little from inside the house.

"Now what?" Edward asked.

"Now? We wait." Bella responded.

I chuckled.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, but it's kind of just been one thing after another the past while, you know? Anyway, I'm done my exams and I'm off for a little while, so updates will most likely be more frequent in general... Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Jacob and Renesmee are hard to do justice. And just as a teaser, next chapter will be at home with Bella and Edward.**

Jacob turned the key in my car, and back out of the long driveway. I sighed, and rested my head back on the seat.

"My thoughts exactly," he whispered. I sighed again, and revelled in the silence for a moment. Living with vampires wasn't exactly easy. They heard everything, said everything, discussed everything. It was like living with seven hundred internal dialogues going on at once. While I loved my family, sometimes it was hard to be the only half human on in the house. Except for Jacob, my refuge.

"Finally." I said. "I didn't think Alice was ever going to let up on me."

Jacob laughed. "Here's an idea. Let's not talk about the family tonight." He said, and I giggled at the thought.

"An evening without the Cullens? However will we manage?" I asked him jokingly. "Okay. I have an idea." I told him, pursing my lips. He looked at me warily. I picked up my purse, pulled out my pink cell phone, and opened the window, dangling it out of the car. Jacob gasped, and leaned over, trying to grab my arm from outside the window.

"NESSIE! I didn't mean it like that! Oh my GOD, give me the cell phone!!" I laughed hysterically, and grabbed the wheel, handing him the phone at the same time.

"Wait till I tell my dad you're a distracted driver." I teased. He growled, and pocketed my phone. I sighed. "Fine. No Cullens." I promised. He smiled. Another minute passed. "Jacob?" I asked him.

"Nessie?"

"Where are we going?" I asked him, conversationally.

"I'm not telling you. Besides, we're five minutes away." He told me.

"Oh God, are you taking me back to the beach? Because Claire spilled grape juice on me last time, and it kind of ruins the romance when-"

"We aren't going to the beach, and even if we were, Claire isn't on the beach at eight o'clock at night." He retorted.

"What? Yes she is!" I argued.

"No Ness, she isn't."

"Jake, it was like, ten thirty at night last time we were there." I said.

"As if you dad would let you out at ten thirty..." He said.

"Well, you and Seth were going to get something and I wanted to go for a walk and I think my dad was hunting."

"Oh! Right! Bella let you and we went and Claire squeezed her juicebox too hard." He said, recalling. Finally.

"Why wasn't she in bed anyway?" I asked. "She's like, two."

"I think she was being babysat by the pack... They pretty much do whatever she wants." Jacob explained. I laughed.

"Poor Claire." I laughed. "She only gets you boys," I teased him. Jake chuckled.

"Yeah, she's pretty corrupted, that's for sure." He said.

"So much for no family talk huh?" I asked him. He sighed.

"I know. But I was serious before. Maybe we should try it. It wouldn't be so bad. A night with no family. You. Me. That's all?" He said, seriously, looking at me from the corner of his eyes.

"Yeah, that's fair. Date-talk only then?" I asked.

"Deal."

"Cool. So where are we going?" I asked him.

"Nessie! Dear God, I swear one day...."

"One day what?" I asked, feigning eagerness. He just sighed, annoyed, and parked the car with a jolt. He got out, and was at my door within a few seconds, letting me out.

"THERE. An Italian restaurant. Are you HAPPY?" He asked me, annoyed now. I laughed, and looked up into his eyes. He was so much taller than me, so much broader. My protector.

"Yes," I said, seriously. "But Jake? Why didn't we just go to the forest to hunt? Same thing, less.... fancy."

He seemed to have relaxed a little. He took my hand in his easily. "Because then my dear Renesme, I wouldn't have been able to convince you that formal attire was expected." He told me. I blushed, he laughed loudly.

Once inside, Jake left to give his name to the hostess. She motioned for him to wait, and I looked around. There was a grand chandelier in the middle of the large dining room stretched in front of us. Tiny round tables were scattered in the middle of the room, and were boarded by little booths. This was definitely a date-type restaurant, it stuck with the date-like talk. I wondered if Jake had planned this all along. I smiled to myself, and looked over just in time to see him motioning me over. I walked over, somehow finding my balance in my stilettos, and joined him, letting him take my hand again. We were led to a secluded booth, in the corner of the room. Jake helped me onto my side, and then sat opposite me.

"So," he said.

"So?"

"I don't know. What do people usually say at the beginning of a date?" He asked me.

"You think I know? Right, because I'm out with guys every Friday night." I laughed.

"Well, I don't know." He told me.

I giggled. "Okay. You really want to do this right?" I asked him. He nodded. "Fine." I held out my hand. "Renesmée Cullen, and you are?"

Jake laughed at me, but he held out his hand, "Jacob Black." He answered.

"What a lovely name." I said cordially.

"Yes well, Renesmee, that's a mouthful now isn't it?" He asked. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I'll have you know, my name has sentimental value."

"Well, so does mine, but it doesn't take five minutes to get it out." He snapped back. I laughed, and then forced myself to keep a straight face.

"You know? I don't think this is going to work out." I told him, and pretended to start to get up.

"NO! You can't leave! MY one and only love Renesmee, you mustn't leave me!!" He cried dramatically.

"Jacob, I must be gone, I MUST...." I looked up to see our waiter waiting with a disgusted look on his face. Jacob was leaning halfway over the table, grabbing for me, and I was standing up, apparently declaring myself to the whole restaurant. Oops.

"Oh. Um... I'm sorry," I whispered, "I guess we got a little carried away," I sat back down. Jacob straightened himself up.

"Uh huh. Please, this is not a playground. What can I get you both tonight?" The waiter asked, clearly revolted and clearly bored. I ordered quickly, a smiple dish, and Jacob ordered the same thing without thinking it through. He nodded, took our drink orders and left promptly.

I made a face at Jacob when he turned his back, and Jake stuck out his tongue. That sent us into fresh hysterics, this time much quieter.

Maybe the whole date thing didn't work for us afterall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: SO. Finally finally finally an update, right? I kept redoing this one over and over again, to get Edward and Bella right. And I need a distraction, so :p Um yeah. Enjoy. Comment. And stay tuned. ******

I sat on the bench by the window, my head rested on the sill, looking at the ceiling. I couldn't hear a single noise, a rarity in this house. I knew Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper were out hunting. Alice had wanted to join them, but I could tell she had decided to stay-for Edward's sake. I wasn't the only one who had confidence in Jacob; she seemed to see that he was good for Renesmée. Others had more trouble than others, but it ultimately fell to Edward. It was a little endearing, but now I had no idea what to do. He sat at his piano bench, completely motionless, his eyes in another world. I thumped my head back against the white window frame.

I heard him shift in his chair, and then he was plunking away at keys on the piano. I smiled a little. This is what he did when he was deep in thought. You could always decipher his feelings from what he played. I saw it coming completely, a sweet, slow melody. A lullaby of sorts, but unlike mine in every way. Renesmée's song lingered in the air. I could hear Alice in the unused kitchen sighing, almost in relief. Whatever she had seen.... it was good. I looked at my husband again, his hands flowing over the keys thoughtlessly, yet with a deliberate determination. I frowned as his long fingers began to form new, harsher notes. Making my daughter's song something it wasn't supposed to be, rough, uneven and unnerving. The melody turned into something new, an improvisation, a feeling of desperation, regret and worst of all: fear. I sighed.

Edward's hands abruptly stopped, and he looked over at me. Seeing my face, he mumbled, "Sorry," and then turned back to the keys. This time though, it was something familiar and comforting. My lullaby spread out through the entire room, calming me. I smiled slightly, and stood up fluidly, walking up behind him. Placing my head on his shoulder, I felt right at home at last. I pulled my arms around him, and leaned over to match my fingers over his. He allowed my fingers to follow his in the familiar pattern that he knew so well. I pulled my hands away when he was done, and he spun around in his seat so he was facing me.

"I love her too you know," I reminded him. He exhaled.

"I know. I never had any doubt." He told me. I nodded.

I pulled his head to my chest; he was at the perfect height when he was sitting down. He kissed my collarbone softly, and then rested his head against me.

"Edward, he took care of me. Do you honestly think he can't take care of Renesmée?" I asked him.

"She doesn't need anyone to take care of her," he argued.

"She doesn't need to know that." I informed him, "I don't need someone to take care of me either." I added, looking down at his face.

"I'd argue that point," he said, standing up, towering over me again. I looked up at his teasing eyes, daring him to prove me wrong. He leaned down very slowly, holding my gaze as long as possible. He kissed me softly, and then pulled back, "who would be able to do that?" He asked me. I chuckled, and touched my lips to his again, pulling my arms around his neck, stretching up on my toes. He picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, smiling against his lips. He carried me to the couch and set me down; we lay on our sides, facing each other.

"She'll be fine," I promised him, pushing his bronze hair away from his face.

"I know," he told me honestly. And I narrowed my eyes at him. "It isn't her I don't trust," he explained. I smiled.

"What are you thinking?" He asked me the age old question. I giggled.

"Mostly about how cute you are when you worry," I told him, "and how this reminds me of the old days."

"Hmm, I guess you're right," he smiled at me. "I'll get used to this eventually Love. I promise." He said, suddenly serious.

"Well, I can't blame you. Every Dad freaks out on his daughter's first date... and they get over a decade to build up to it. You've had to adapt in a fraction of the time most fathers get." I told him. He rolled his eyes. "No Edward, I'm serious." I told him, holding his eyes with mine.

"I know." He said quietly, his arms relaxing against my sides, "I think I see too much of you in her," he told me.

I smiled slightly. "I think.... you're afraid he's going to hurt her," I told him, "like you were afraid he would hurt me."

"He did hurt you," he told me, holding my hand to his mouth to kiss my palm.

"I guess. But not as much as it would have hurt if... well you know," I admitted. Edward didn't respond.

"Aren't you afraid of that?" He asked me after a long silence.

I thought about it. "No," I told him honestly. Seeing the shock and the blatant curiosity colour his eyes, I continued, "I'm more afraid she'll hurt him... and herself by extension." Edward sucked in a breath.

"How do you mean?"

"She is your daughter, Edward. Self-sacrifice for the good of others is in her blood. However, she seems to have carried over one of my traits as well- her stubbornness." I said, looking down to where our hands were intertwined, his grasp was slowly slipping from mine.

"Bella," he sighed. I looked up at him, a sure look in my eyes. He hugged me close now, unable to come up with words. I lay my cheek on his chest, fitting perfectly there, in both my lives. "You're right," he sighed, "of course you're right."

"I am always right," I teased.

"You think I might have learned that after all this time..." he winked at me.

"Hmm. But you haven't..." I told him.

"What time is it?" He asked suddenly. I glanced at the small clock on the dvd player, and laughed.

"It's nine thirty Edward. Come on. Let her have a little fun," I pleaded.

"Okay. Alright. Fine," he said.

We lay in silence for a while, staring into space. I remembered the first date I'd had with Edward, in detail. Both the infamous and official baseball date, at that glorious day in the meadow. I touched his face softly, relaying my thoughts to him with some difficulty. It had gotten easier to stretch out over the last few years. He smiled at me widely, remembering. I could imagine him concentrating on the meadow.

"She'll be okay," I whispered, pushing his floppy bronze hair out of his eyes.

"I know," he said back, quietly. "But I'm calling her if she's not back in an hour," he told me. I rolled my eyes and sighed as I got up, and gestured to the piano once more, the only way to calm him.


End file.
